Skip navigation

Wal-Mart Seeks to Tie Low Prices, Sustainability

Wal-Mart Stores wants to merge the ideas of price and sustainability in its message to consumers, the executive vice president of the company’s grocery division said at a conference yesterday.

INDIANAPOLIS — Wal-Mart Stores wants to merge the ideas of price and sustainability in its message to consumers, the executive vice president of the company’s grocery division said at a conference here yesterday.

“An investment in [certain sustainability initiatives] contributes to how we can reduce the price to our customer,” said Jack Sinclair at the Center for Food Integrity’s 2008 Summit. “It’s not a cost premium. It’s a cost minus.”

For Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart, sustainability involves asking whether the products on its shelves maximize the efficient use of materials, close material loops and minimize waste. Sinclair said Wal-Mart’s efforts to encourage smaller package sizes are reducing its logistics costs.

In 2007, Wal-Mart announced that it would only sell concentrated liquid laundry detergent in all U.S. stores by May 2008, a move the company said has saved more than 400,000 gallons of water, more than 95 million pounds of plastic resin and more than 125 million tons of cardboard.

Sinclair also cited Sara Lee and General Mills for their efforts in reducing packaging.

Meanwhile, surveys by CFI indicate 60% of consumers are more concerned about food prices today than they were a year ago. “I believe this is the highest level of concern we’ve seen in some time, certainly since World War II,” said Charlie Arnot, chief executive officer of CFI.

Read More of Today's Headlines